


all I need is you

by breakmystrings



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-11
Updated: 2019-08-11
Packaged: 2020-08-19 12:17:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20209624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/breakmystrings/pseuds/breakmystrings
Summary: Mitch isn't worried about his contract.





	all I need is you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dannybsdadbod](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dannybsdadbod/gifts).

> I went for Hurt/Comfort from your prompts, I hope you like this! <3

Mitch isn’t worried about his contract.

He’s _not_. He knows the Leafs want him, the team values him, and it doesn’t matter what some asshole on the internet says about how he’s greedy and overrated and isn’t even worth a sack of pucks in a trade. He. Is. Not. _Worried_. The press can write article after article about his value to the team, the contract he does or doesn’t deserve; none of it matters. Mitch knows what he’s worth and they will find a way to make it work with the team. It’s fine.

“Bullshit.” Mitch can hear the judgement in Auston’s voice even on the phone. “Don’t lie to me.”

Mitch presses his lips into a thin line. He’s not _lying_. It’s just, there’s nothing he can do right now, and he should just focus on his training and trust that his agent and Dubby will get this shit done so that Mitch can be there for camp. It’s out of his hands right now.

He tells Auston as much and it’s quiet for a moment before Auston says in a gentle voice, “It’s okay if you need to freak out. I know it’s stressful.”

Mitch bites back the dark voice in the back of his head that wants to scream that no, Auston _doesn’t_ get it, because Auston doesn’t have a million other people screaming at him and telling him what to do. Auston got to fill out a blank cheque and the terms and conditions to his own contract. He doesn’t have to hear all the noise that’s surrounding Mitch right now about how he should demand this or that, how he should settle for less to be a hero, how the team doesn’t appreciate him, how he can rot and be a loser with a small market team, how he’ll never be anything if he wasn’t a Leaf. Auston didn’t have to put up a fight because he’s the most important player on the team, their heart and soul, and the face of the franchise. And it’s everything he deserves, Mitch would never begrudge him for it, but that means he doesn’t _get it_. 

The second the thought even crosses Mitch’s mind, he feels sick to his stomach with guilt. Those are ugly emotions he’s feeling, and it’s not fair to Auston at all. Auston deserves a better boyfriend than that.

“I’m fine,” Mitch repeats, ignoring the sting in the back of his throat, the way his stomach churns and makes him feel nauseous. “Tell me about Alex and her new boyfriend that you hate.”

Auston groans and that takes them back to safer conversations. Mitch lets the sound of Auston’s voice calm his nerves and he laughs when Auston gets into a heated rant about “and what kind of name even _is_ Nyielly?”

*

It would be a lot easier to ignore the contract talks if everyone and their dog didn’t have an opinion about it. Mitch’s close family and friends know better than to pester him about it, but like, he’s getting messages from some distant cousins he’s never even heard of before telling him to “do the leafs a solid and just sign bro”. Mitch can barely stand to even be in Toronto anymore, and it doesn’t help that the Leafs are trading guys left and right and all Mitch hears is that it’s his fault, it’s because he’s asking for too much, if he was less greedy Patty and Naz and Brownie would all still be here.

Mitch locks himself in his house for a week, just so that he can remember how to _breathe_.

“It’s a business,” Patty says, and Mitch doesn’t even care that he’s crying because fuck this shit. It’s a business, until it’s not, when they want Mitch to sign on the dotted line. He wipes his nose angrily with the back of his hand.

“It’s not fucking fair. The people don’t get how important you are to the team, how much our success is because of you. Just because you didn’t score another goal or two doesn’t mean you weren’t a big part of our team,” Mitch snaps, and then immediately feels bad because Patty doesn’t deserve Mitch’s attitude right now. He lowers his head, and he tries really hard to ignore the guilt that’s twisting in his gut, the heavy feeling that makes him want to sink into the ground. He hates this. He hates this _so fucking much_. He hates the kind of person it’s turning him into. This greedy, selfish prick that only thinks about himself and no one else.

“Mitch…”

Mitch can picture Patty’s face right now, that worried dad look he gets whenever Mitch feels overwhelmed by the expectations of everyone around him and constantly feeling like he’s failing someone, even when he’s trying his best. He _hates_ disappointing people.

“I’ll come visit this summer,” Mitch redirects, sniffling. “We’ll hang out with the boys. It’ll be just like old times.”

“That sounds great. The boys will be so happy,” Patty says, his voice kind and gentle, like always, and Mitch aches for it already like a missing limb.

“I’m sorry,” Mitch can’t help saying after a moment of silence. “It’s my fault.”

“I want you to listen to me carefully,” Patty says, his voice stern but not mad and it makes Mitch feel chastised nonetheless, “you’re going to be so great for this city, for this team. You already _are_ great. You and Auston, you’re the heart and soul and the bond that glues this team together. You should never feel bad about doing what you think is best for you, to get what you feel you deserved. It’s what I did, why I left San Jose to begin with.”

“Do you regret it?” Mitch asks softly, almost afraid to hear the answer.

“Never. The only thing I regretted was not being to do more to help make Toronto feel more like home for my family. But signing with the Leafs and getting to know you and Auston? Never.”

It’s stupid, but it’s almost like a weight is lifted off Mitch’s shoulders, and it takes some of the guilt away.

“Fuck, I wish you were here so I could give you a big hug,” Mitch says and he can hear Patty’s soft laugh.

“When you come visit,” Patty says. “I’ll take a raincheck.”

“Deal.”

*

Auston calls him later that night.

“Hey,” Mitch answers. He’s still sprawled out on the couch with a mostly empty bag of Doritos that is absolutely not in his diet plan and Netflix asking him, _again_, if he still wants to continue watching. It feels judgey and totally unwarranted.

“How’re you doing?”

“Shitty,” Mitch says, and he’s suddenly overcome with the urge to see Auston right now. He wishes he wasn’t still in Arizona, that he was back home, here, in Toronto where they both belong.

“Yeah, spoke with Patty?”

“I did.” Mitch feels choked up just thinking about it. “Fucking trades.”

“Sucks.”

It’s quiet for a moment. Mitch can hear the sound of traffic on the phone.

“Are you home?” Auston asks.

Mitch nods, even if Auston can’t see. “Yeah. Maybe I could just hide here until my contract gets done.” It would certainly be less stressful. He’s got a gym in here. He can work out and just keep ordering delivery until training camp rolls around. _If_ he can even go. Fuck his life.

“Hey, I gotta go,” Auston says suddenly, and it’s stupid, but Mitch feels something sink in his stomach anyway. It’s not even like he has anything to say, but the sound of Auston’s voice always makes him feel better. “Open the door in about five minutes. I got a gift for you.”

“Is it a basket of cookies?” Mitch jokes, smiling weakly.

“Better.”

Auston hangs up. _Rude_. Mitch is still drafting a text response to that when his doorbell rings. That was quick. He tucks his phone into his pocket and heads for the door. He’s not sure what can be better than a basket of cookies right now, unless it’s like, a truckload of them, and the anticipation makes him smile. He trusts Auston though, there’s no one else that knows him better. He opens the door.

It’s Auston.

“Surprise?” Auston grins shyly, and Mitch doesn’t even care if his neighbours can see or hear; he yells as he pounces on him.

“Oh my god, this is _so_ much better than a basket of cookies!”

Auston laughs, squeezing Mitch around the waist and it feels so, _so_ good to be able to hug Auston right now. He knows it’s only been a few weeks, that they already spend almost every day of the season together, but Mitch will never get tired of spending time with Auston.

“Okay, we should get out of your hallway before your neighbours come out to investigate all the noise.”

“Yeah, yeah okay,” Mitch says, but he doesn’t want to let go of Auston. He loosens his hold around him and drags him inside. The second the door closes behind them, Mitch grabs Auston’s face with his hands and kisses him.

“What are you doing here?” Mitch asks when they finally pull apart, because the last time they talked about this, Auston’s plans were to come back a week or two before training camp. Mitch had tried not to look too dejected about that, because Auston’s friends and family back home deserve time with him too and it’s not fair for Mitch to monopolize all of his time.

“Patty says you needed a hug,” Auston says, his touch gentle as he caresses Mitch’s cheek with his hand. Mitch feels something swell in his chest, this surge of emotion that makes him warm from head to toe.

“And you flew all the way back, just for that?” Mitch tries not to sound too astonished, but it’s a lot. Auston kisses him again, this quick, little thing that makes Mitch crave for more.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Auston says, his voice soft and gentle. “It’s not your fault. We knew this was going to happen, with or without your contract issues. It started with Willy, and then me, and just because you’re last, it doesn’t mean it’s because of you.”

Mitch feels something crack inside of him, this careful wall that he’s built around his feelings that he’s been trying to shield from Auston. “I know,” he says quietly. “It just, it feels like it is.”

“I know,” Auston says. “I know you feel bad. I do too. But it’s a business, and we should look after ourselves first. Patty and Naz and Brownie leaving doesn’t change our relationship with them. God knows Naz is already prepping his chirping game for our first matchup, and Brownie is planning board game nights for when you’re in town.”

Mitch laughs, the burning sensation back in the back of his throat and he blinks away the sting in his eyes. “Naz already told me to keep my head up.”

Auston smiles, gentle and kind, and runs his thumb under his eyes. “The team is going to keep changing, but you and me, that’s not going to change.”

Mitch tucks his face into Auston’s shoulders and squeezes him tight around his waist. Auston hugs him back just as tightly, until there’s no space left between their bodies, like they’re two puzzle pieces that just snapped together. He doesn’t know why, but it suddenly feels so much easier to breathe now that Auston’s here, like he’s taken a load off of Mitch’s shoulders.

“Thank you,” Mitch says, feeling choked up for other reasons now. He doesn’t know what he did to deserve Auston, but he hopes he never stops.

“If you want to get away from the noise, my mom is already pestering me about taking you home with me.”

Mitch stills.

“I’ll show you my favourite spots, we can hang out at the pool, we can go offline,” Auston pauses to give Mitch a meaningful look that makes Mitch laugh, “and just, get away from here. You shouldn’t have to hear all that shit around you. My parents are excited to see you, and Alex already wants to introduce you to ‘Nyielly’.” Auston makes the most incredible judgey face at that, and Mitch smiles so hard it almost hurts.

“That sounds like a great plan.”


End file.
